A Smartwatch, an electronic wristwatch, also known as a wearable, now has many functions relating to health monitoring for people with heart disease. However, experts such as the German Heart Foundation warn against the unlimited use of these small diagnostic assistants with great potential, because the devices can not only measure the pulse and generate simple so-called 1-channel ECGs. New models can also measure the blood pressure of heart patients. They can also detect whether the patient suffers from cardiac arrhythmia, which includes atrial fibrillation. Two million people in Germany are affected by the disease, which causes the heart to lose its normal rhythm, possibly leading to a stroke. Monitoring is therefore recommended. However, with the help of small electronic watches, monitoring should only go as far as is necessary to prevent the patient from becoming even more unsettled. Experts such as the Hamburg heart specialist Prof. Dr. Thomas Meinertz from the Scientific Advisory Board of the German Heart Foundation warn that the mini-computers do not provide comprehensive heart diagnostics. He warns against not going to the doctor because only cardiologists can detect circulatory disorders in the heart. This means that only specialists in cardiovascular events, which include heart attack or coronary heart disease, can intervene accordingly and intervene in an emergency. The device cannot, therefore, replace the doctor, something that heart patients should be aware of, as studies by the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) at the University Medical Center Greifswald and the University Hospital Basel have also confirmed this fact, which has also been published in the specialist journal „JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology“.
